Hannah and Her Sisters - 1986

Hannah and Her Sisters is an intricate, well-constructed drama with liberal
amounts of comedy within. The film begins at a Thanksgiving family dinner. Elliot
(Michael Caine) looks at Lee (Barbara Hershey), his wife's sister and thinks
"God, she's beautiful." He becomes infatuated with Lee, despite his
being married to her sister, and her living with a moody artist (Max von Sydow).

The film's three sisters, Lee, Hannah and Holly, live out an elegant, funny
and often tender story during the ensuing year. Many consider this movie to
be one of Allen's best.

Considered by many to be Woody Allen's best film, even over Annie Hall, Hannah
and Her Sisters follows a multitude of characters: Hannah (Mia Farrow),
who plays den mother to her extended family; her sister Lee (Barbara Hershey),
emotional and a bit of a flake, who's involved with a much older artist (Max
Von Sydow), who treats her like a child; and her sister, Holly (Dianne Wiest),
a neurotic who feels incapable of managing her life.

Hannah's husband Elliot (Michael Caine) falls in love with Lee, which sets
off a series of upheavals. Allen gives one of his best performances as Hannah's
ex-husband Mickey who, much like Allen himself, is obsessed with death and unhappiness.
But a simple summary doesn't begin to capture the warmth and intimacy of this
movie. Though the story follows a capsizing family, the outcome is surprising,
joyous, and richly human.